Rouge One

As the first stand alone Star Wars movie, and a prequel of sorts, Rouge One had a heavy burden. It was also saddled with persistent rumors of trouble and large scale reshooting.
It did always have one thing going for: Gareth Edwards. I have been a big fan of his previous outings and knew he could put together a good film.
Rouge One proved once again that he is a director with a bright future.
While not a great film, it was a very good film. It's plot drove the movie forward at a good pace and the action scenes were everything one would hope for in a Star Wars movie.
Its greatest strength, the plot, was also its greatness weakness. Because the plot moved so quickly, there was very little time for character development. It wasn't that the characters were overly thin, unsympathetic, or unbelievable. They just left you wanting a bit more back story. In some ways, it is the exact opposite of the Skywalker Star Wars movies where there is almost too much back story for fairly uninteresting characters.
The film also felt like it was in a duel with itself at times. I could feel the darker version trying to break through the Disney sheen. I will be very interested to see if Rouge One ever gets a directors cut. I think Edwards original vision was a few shades darker and less morally clear.
Anyway, it was enjoyable in the form that was released to the theaters. It was a fun ride with good characters. It also adds some depth to the rebellion.